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Off-Off Yakking
I understand that everyone wants to spin yesterday's election results in the best possible light for their side, but the sheer volume of yak is astonishing. Was there this much postgame analysis after the off-off-year elections in 2005 or 2007? I don't remember it, but maybe I'm just forgetful these days.
In any case, jeez, can we all get a grip? Democrats lost races in two states. That's a bummer for them, but hardly a referendum on the future of the party. Republicans lost one House seat after a stupid primary squawl. That's a bummer for them, but hardly a referendum on the future of conservatism. Everyone needs to turn down the dial before this election becomes the balloon boy of politics.
Much ado about......
"Democrats lost races in two states. That's a bummer for them, but hardly a referendum on the future of the party."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well shit, now you tell me. WTF am I supposd to do with this inflatable Armageddon bunker?
"Republican Renaissance" --
"Republican Renaissance" -- according to CNN. I guess that would make John Boehner Ohio's Leonardo da Vinci and Palin the Alaskan version of Marie de Medici. Christie, of course, would be the Henry VIII of New Jersey.
We are so lucky to be alive in this Golden Age.
Baghdad Bob, er, Gibbs is
Baghdad Bob, er, Gibbs is telling us that the governor's races are just local politics and don't mean anything to Obama or the DNC while NY-23 has national ramifications. I wonder why he'd say that.
It's also funny that Obama said he wasn't paying attention to the results, seeing as he spent much time and political capital stumping for Corzine and Deeds.
It's great we have an MSM ensuring that the Democratic Talking Points are getting to the unshaven masses.
"Democratic talking points"?...
Are you crazy? Have you been listening to the MSM today with their lazy commentators? Even the NYT was blathering on their site about the Republican "wins", without mentioning the Dem congress seats. And one of them was in NY!
None of the "talking heads" I listen to or read, deigned to mention that VA's governor's race was merely repeating what it had done since the 1970's, transitioning to the opposite party of the just elected President. Did anyone, in 2001 or 2005, talk about the "renaissance" of the Democrats when Mark Warner and Tim Kaine captured the governor's seats after Bush's victories? No, I doubt it.
Only with Republican "wins" get noted. And talked about as a revival of the party.
There's little or no analysis of the actual political FACTS, only the repeating of Republican talking points.
"Liberal Media", my ass.
Yakking v. learning
I agree that the spinning is not worth paying attention to, but I am concerned about the turnout demographics. It seems the under-30 set in particular was too busy and unmotivated. The Angry Old White crowd, however, generally always votes but this time they were really fired up.
That's why I see CA Prop 8 in 2008 as different than Maine's "No on 1" this year. Basically the same margin of loss this year, but with a very very different voter pool. In particular, this suggests the gay rights supporters did remarkably better in Maine.
The default demographic for next year will unfortunately be this year's, but writ nationally. That could get ugly.
It was a off-off year
It was a off-off year election. Turnout would be low.
As someone who lives in VA
As someone who lives in VA and worked very hard for Dems during this election, let me just say that anyone saying that Obama spent a lot of time and political capital stumping for Deeds obviously doesn't live here.
Uh, Democrats won these
Uh, Democrats won these EXACT same two states back from Republican governors in 2001. And I'm sure you all remember the crushing defeats suffered by Republicans in 2002!
Also, it's well worth pointing out that in EVERY election since 1977, the Virginia governor elected is the opposite party of the President just elected. Yes, even the mighty Ronald Reagan suffered a "defeat" in Virginia right after the state voted for him as President. Uh, twice.
And is it worth pointing out that the day after this election, the Democrats have one more member of Congress than they did the day before? Is this not a "rejection" most parties would welcome?
yeah, but
it was satisfying that the carpetbagger/teabagger lost in n.y., especially all the big guns of 'movement' conservativism had
helicoptered in.
too bad, glenn! your 'mentee' lost!
your pal,
blake
...
Two for Two in Federal House races is not a rebuke.
Neither is Two and Two if you include the governors' races because... Well, I dunno, because Obama campaigned for them.
Augh. It was, by almost every measure, either a win or a wash, it was by no measure a rebuke.
I'd like to shut up about it...
...but I can't.
The most tangible result was the addition of two more Democrats to Pelosi's majority. From what we've heard about the closeness of votes on major policy questions like health care and energy, these two extra votes could matter.
As to speculation, I see the congressional election as a referendum on Palin--which she won. Owen's victory was almost within the margin of error; the significant thing is that the GOP lost both to the Democrats and to a virtual unknown running as a third-party candidate.
The results are in, and the rogues have it.
You forgot
I'd like to shut up about it...
Submitted by SteveHigh on November 4, 2009 - 1:44pm.
...but I can't.
The most tangible result was the addition of two more Democrats to Pelosi's majority.
===========================================
One more. The seat in California was already Democrat
Both seats were vacant
Zero plus two = two.
balloon boy
"Everyone needs to turn down the dial before this election becomes the balloon boy of politics."
A good one Mr. Drum... You're about the only pundit who is willing to say "no big deal" when warranted - the incentives tend to skew things the other way. One of the very very few honest pundits I've seen.
hardest on Palin?
Won't this be tough for Palin? She has no job now to promote herself with and when she (along with other personalities) inserted herself in the NY race the Rs lost a seat they should have held. This will lead to more internal fighting among the Republicans and a further slide in Palin's popularity.
Palin the big winner
Anyone in a Republican primary must fear Sarah Palin. She and her pals dished a LOT of hurt in NY-23, and the lesson won't be lost on any living politician, none of whom can look past the NEXT election.
Yeah, her divisiveness will give Dems a tactical advantage as it yesterday. But Hoffmann damn near won, without the advantage of party label, and with the disadvantage of the real GOP candidate still on the ballot, siphoning away votes.
I say she'll be able to up her speaking fees.
I'm kinda fuzzy on that too, Kevin ...
the details anyway, but I remember that there was analysis and spin and "referendum-on-W" talk and preview of 2006/8.
I like to think I've got an excuse though - I'd be curious to know if you feel the same way.
'Ere!
Just a comment on something
Just a comment on something I thought was interesting yesterday: I was listening to a radio station with CNN updates, and noticed that over the course of the day they constantly referred to the results as a 'big win for Republicans,' and a (possible) referendum on the Obama presidency.
Of course, in order to do this, they had to play down the fact that there were pretty much only three state offices making headlines, and they literally made no mention of the NY race. None.
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